Shloka 16
Vāsudeva’s Upadeśa: The Inner Enemy and the Indra–Vṛtra Precedent (आत्मशत्रु-बोधः; इन्द्र-वृत्रोपाख्यानम्)
आकाशे वृत्रभूते5थ शब्दे च विषये हते
ākāśe vṛtrabhūte ’tha śabde ca viṣaye hate
Lorsque le ciel sembla comme obstrué (ainsi que par Vṛtra), et que le son lui-même — avec son champ d’action — fut abattu, la scène bascula dans une immobilité stupéfaite, comme si le médium même de l’ouïe avait été submergé.
वायुदेव उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse uses cosmic metaphor to show how overwhelming force can suspend ordinary functions (like sound and its perception), reminding the listener that human experience depends on subtle conditions that can be eclipsed by greater powers.
Vāyudeva describes a moment of extreme disturbance: the sky seems ‘Vṛtra-like’ (blocked or covered), and sound along with its perceptible range is ‘struck down,’ conveying a sudden, portentous hush amid upheaval.